1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a support that can be releasably carried by a pair of substantially upright members for supporting a variety of items from the upright members. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved support that is of relatively simple construction and that can be quickly and easily applied to a pair of laterally-spaced upright members, such as a pair of adjacent studs forming part of a stud wall or the rails of a ladder, for supporting objects such as spools of electrical wire from the upright members.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the course of constructing buildings, or carrying out building structural remodeling projects, it often becomes necessary to install electrical wiring within the walls of the structure. The wiring is provided in relatively large reels or spools containing from about 250 feet to about 1000 feet of wire, depending upon the size of the wire and its intended use. The provision of wiring in spool form requires that the wiring be uncoiled from the spool so it can be threaded through apertures provided in the studs that define framing members for walls before the walls are finished by the application of wallboard or the like. The wire spool is often placed on end on the floor and wire is uncoiled from it as needed for threading through the wall studs. That procedure, however, is a cumbersome one in that the spool does not rotate readily, particularly when it is full of wire and quite heavy. And unless the spool can be rotated, the wire as it uncoils from the spool becomes twisted, which is undesirable.
Various types of devices, sometimes referred to commercially as xe2x80x9cwire caddies,xe2x80x9dhave been developed to enable more convenient uncoiling of wire from a spool at a construction site. Some of the wire caddies are frames having wheels and on which a spool of wire can be mounted to facilitate uncoiling of the wire. However, such wire caddies normally occupy floor space, and during construction or remodeling projects floor space is generally quite limited and oftentimes is occupied by other materials such as lumber, tools, tool boxes, ductwork, wall sheeting, and the like. Thus, there is a need for a support for supporting a wire spool off the floor for more convenient uncoiling of the wire.
One approach to the problem of supporting a spool of wire above the floor for easy uncoiling is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,837,597, entitled xe2x80x9cCoiled Cable Dispenser,xe2x80x9dwhich issued on Sep. 24, 1974, to Bourhenne. A rotatable circular table is disposed horizontally to support a spool or a coil of wire and that includes a wire guide loop to guide the wire as it is unwound from the spool. The rotatable table is supported from an arm that is attached to a single, vertically extending stud. The arm can be moved up and down along the stud to the wire spool to be positioned at a desired height above the floor for convenient access.
An only slightly different form of support for a wire spool is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,241, entitled xe2x80x9cRomex Wire Dispenser,xe2x80x9d which issued in Sep. 20, 1994 to Huette. Instead of a table, as in the Bourhenne ""597 patent, several horizontally-extending radial arms are provided to define a similar rotating support member that is also connected with a single, vertically extending stud for supporting the wire spool for rotation about a vertical axis.
Another form of wire spool support is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,255, entitled xe2x80x9cElectrician Stud Grip,xe2x80x9d which issued on Sep. 11, 1979, to Benson. A wire spool is carried on a platform that is suspended from an arm that extends outwardly from a supporting bracket that engages a single, vertically extending stud.
A further form of wire spool support is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,301, entitled xe2x80x9cStud Mounted Spool Support System,xe2x80x9d which issued on Nov. 25, 1997, to Shelton et al. the disclosed support also is supported from only a single vertical stud and includes a horizontally extending shaft for rotatably supporting a spool of wire.
Although the prior art shows several different forms of supports for supporting a spool of wire for easy uncoiling, the disclosed supports generally are designed for use on only a single stud. Thus, if resistance to uncoiling is encountered for some reason, pulling on the wire to force it to uncoil could impose an excessive torque on the single stud, possibly causing it to twist relative to the sill plate and the wall plate. In that regard, it is desirable to provide a more stable support arrangement whereby wire spools can be supported from a pair of vertically extending studs without imposing torque on the studs. It is also desirable to provide a support that can also be utilized to support other items, such as a board to serve as a temporary shelf for tools, or the like, or for supporting several boards to provide a work bench or a flat surface for construction drawings. It is also desirable that the support serve for supporting a plurality of spools of wire for rotation about either a horizontal axis or a vertical axis, to permit different types of wire to be conveniently uncoiled for use in a construction project.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a more versatile support for supporting wire spools and the like above the floor in a construction environment.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a support that can be readily utilized both in connection with vertically extending studs defining a wall framing structure, as well as inclined upright members, such as the rails of a conventional A-frame step ladder.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a support that is of simple construction, that is rugged, and that can be utilized to support a variety of items from pairs of adjacent, substantially upright members including wall studs and step ladders.
Briefly stated, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a support is provided that includes a pair of first and second, laterally spaced, substantially parallel crossbars. The crossbars have a length sufficient to enable each crossbar to extend between and to contact each of a pair of laterally spaced, substantially parallel, upwardly-extending members. A support arm extends transversely relative to the crossbars and is securely connected with each of the crossbars to define a rigid, unitary support. The support arm includes a connecting portion that extends between and interconnects the first and second crossbars to hold the crossbars in laterally-spaced, substantially parallel relationship. A support bar of the support arm extends away from the crossbars at an acute angle relative to a plane that passes through each of the crossbars. The support bar has a predetermined length to provide a substantially horizontal supporting surface for supporting an article on the supporting surface when the support is positioned between and is in contact with each of the upwardly-extending members.